


Reunion

by stars_will_fall



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, Highschool reunion Au, M/M, cute little kid, i don't have much to say, single dad John
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-06
Updated: 2016-04-06
Packaged: 2018-05-31 13:27:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6471808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stars_will_fall/pseuds/stars_will_fall
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He took a deep breath as he stepped into the familiar school building, noting that almost everything was the same as he remembered it. He scrunched his nose up a bit when he realized this included the strange smell you get when you shove 800 something teenagers into one building. Yuck. This trip through the buildings glass doors was a bit different than it used to be though. Sure, he was filled with that same sense of overwhelming dread, but this time it wasn’t in anticipation of an eight-hour day of boring classes and bratty private school kids. No, this time it was even worse. This was his high school reunion.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reunion

He took a deep breath as he stepped into the familiar school building, noting that almost everything was the same as he remembered it. He scrunched his nose up a bit when he realized this included the strange smell you get when you shove 800 something teenagers into one building. Yuck. This trip through the buildings glass doors was a bit different than it used to be though. Sure, he was filled with that same sense of overwhelming dread, but this time it wasn’t in anticipation of an eight-hour day of boring classes and bratty private school kids. No, this time it was even worse. This was his high school reunion. Only twenty- eight and John felt ancient.

He’d received the invitation on a sunny day in May and was honestly shocked to find it had been ten years since he graduated from Skaia High, home of the bullfrogs, possibly the lamest of school mascots. No wonder all of their sports teams sucked. Of course, he had no intention on going. Sure, it would be nice to see some of his friends and teachers again, possibly reconnect, but there were more important things to do. At least that’s what he told himself. It absolutely had nothing to do with the fact he was sure all of his friends were more successful than him. None at all. It wasn’t until his sister called him, practically begging for him to come that he caved and began to mentally prepare himself for the game of “What is it you do now?” that was sure to come.

All that reluctance, yet there he was, looking around awkwardly at the small crowd of ex-classmates collecting in the lobby as his six-year-old, Casey, swung their hands back and forth, a mantra of “God, please let Jade get here soon” running through his head. He hadn’t seen his sister since last Christmas, but she was the only reason he went to this stupid thing, and he was counting on her as someone to talk to. 

He spotted the picture of his senior class they framed and set up just for the event and smiled leading Casey over to it and picking her up so she could get a better look. “Look, Casey.”  
He pointed to the younger version of himself behind the glass. “That’s me right there.” 

John had grown a lot since his senior year. He was taller, and surprisingly had lost all of his baby fat, something they always joked in high school he’d have forever. His face finally cleared up, thank God, and his jaw squared out. Honestly, looking back at himself, he realized how much like his dad he looked now. Well, except for the messy black curls on his head. Those were something all John’s own. 

“You look little.” Casey laughed, moving his finger to get a better look at the picture. “Little and silly daddy.”

“I was definitely little and silly.” He looked for other people he knew in the black and white, uniformed crowd, eventually finding his sister standing beside his best friend. “There’s auntie Jade and next to her is my friend Dave.”

She smiled and they spent the next few minutes there, Casey pointing people out, and John trying to remember all their names. It was great practice for him, so he didn’t really mind. As long as no one changed too much, he wouldn’t embarrass himself by calling them the wrong name. After a few minutes, the little girl asked to be put down, and dragged her dad over to the refreshment table to grab a cookie and some punch, before going to sit at one of the many round plastic tables set up. 

As time passed, more and more people filed into the area, and tables filled. A few of his old classmates came to talk to him, Casey always stealing the show. She loved to talk to whoever she could whenever she got the chance. It was really sweet and all, but John felt bad. She didn’t have any friends other than her cousin and her babysitter thanks to just barely missing the kindergarten cut off mark. Next year though he was sure she’s make tons of new friends. Its just the kind of kid she was.

A chair screeched across the linoleum floor and John glanced up from talking to Casey smiling when he saw the blonde who took a seat across from them. Well, that was a familiar face and certainly a welcome one. 

“Well hey there Egbert long time no see.” Dave gave him one of those rare Strider smiles that he always loved to see. When they were younger, it was a game between he and Jade to see who could make Dave smile or laugh first.

“Well, Yeah! You totally suck at keeping in touch. What happened, you dork?”  
“Oh man, you’re not going to believe it. Officially my worst moment. Rose and I did a year abroad, London’s pretty sweet man, but very rainy. Anyway I dropped our phones in a puddle when I was trying to get pictures of her and her girlfriend. We both lost all of our contacts.”

John’s brows furrowed. C’mon Dave, you can do better than that. “No way that really happened. You could have just told me if you didn’t want to hang out anymore. You did miss out on my party years though.” He teased a bit.

“No I’m totally serious. Rose almost murdered me.” 

Casey, who was sitting quietly with her fifth chocolate chip cookie in her hand, finally seemed to notice Dave’s presence and chimed in the conversation. “Hey, can I wear those?” She held her hand out to Dave, like she was expecting to get his shades just because she asked.

“You should say please, but alright. Just cause you’re cute. Be careful.” Dave glanced over at her, taking off his shades and handing them over and getting a smile in return, before looking back to John. “Who’s little bit here?”

Casey slipped the shades on and wiggled out of her seat so she could take the spot in her dad’s lap. John laughed softly and wrapped his arms around her as she did so.

“I’m Casey. I’m five.” She held up six fingers, and John corrected her by putting one down.  
“Cool, man. I’m Dave. Twenty-nine, but I don’t have that many fingers.”  
Casey giggled, her curly black hair bouncing in her pigtails as she leaned forward to put Dave’s fingers up. “You’re old like daddy, but I can share.” She put up her fingers to go with Dave’s and he laughed.

“Hate to tell you kiddo, but that’s still not twenty-nine. What’s ten plus ten?”

She scrunched her nose up. “I dunno!”

“We’ve only got twenty.”

It wasn’t long before it was time for dinner, and the three went up to get themselves some food. Casey, who never had any with being shy, took Dave’s hand as they headed up, and to John’s surprise he didn’t seem to mind helping her with her plate. Once Dave had piled Casey’s plate and his own high with Fettuccini and breadsticks, he headed back to the table, leaving John to grab their drinks Pepsi for himself and Apple juice for the other two. Its weird, he thought, Dave never really liked kids when they were younger, but he was great with her.

Casey ate her dinner, sitting in Dave’s lap instead of John’s, and finishing all of it with minimal mess, and was fast asleep before dessert rolled around. John smiled and offered to go pick something up for Dave, soon coming back with three pieces of cake. He set one down in front of Dave and set one aside for Casey if she woke up. 

“So, she’s yours then? You never told me you had a kid.”

“Well, you broke your phone remember? I couldn’t get ahold of you to hang out. Honestly, I thought you’d find out from Rose or Jade.”

“She’s pretty sweet. Looks just like you. Acts just like you too, but uh I can’t believe you named her after your salamander from grade school.”

“Oh, shut up. It's a cute name, and it suits her just fine.”

“So, who’d you end up with then?”

John’s cheeks heated up in embarrassment and he looked down at his piece of cake, poking it with his fork. “Her mom and I actually aren’t together. She doesn’t even know her.”

“Oh, uh sorry man. I guess I just assumed.”

“No, no don’t worry. We weren’t together for very long, and when we were no one was happy anyway. I’m kind of glad she wants nothing to do with the two of us.”

Dave nodded a bit and gently pulled Casey closer as her head lolled forward threatening to hit the table. “You’re doing a great job, John. She’s really sweet. You’re lucky.”

“Thanks Dave. That means a lot.” He cleaned up their trash and stretched a bit, looking at his phone to check the time. “I should get going so I can get her to bed.” 

Dave stood up and passed Casey over to him with a smile. “It was nice seeing you again. Don’t be a stranger, alright?”

“I Promise. Hey, you should stop by the bakery to visit sometime!” He shifted Casey around a bit and pulled a card out of his back pocket, handing it over to Dave who chuckled at the sight of the flowery cupcake on the front. 

“Casey’s Bakery huh?”

“Mhmm. My cell number’s on there too. Give me a call before you come by. I’ll bake you one of those Apple cakes you always liked.”

“Hell yes. Egbert, you’re too good for me.”

“I know it.” He grinned giving Dave a quick side arm hug, and heading back outside to his car where he put Casey in her car seat. As he set her down she started to wake up a bit.

“Where’s Dave?” She mumbled, rubbing at her eyes.

“He’s not coming home with us, silly. You’ll see him later.”

“okay, daddy.” She yawned, closing her eyes again. “He’s my best friend.”

John Laughed and clipped her seatbelt. “Well, you’re going to have to share him then.”

**Author's Note:**

> I have a 4 year old cousin, but she has a speech impediment, so its a little hard for me to judge how advanced a five year old's speech would be. Sorry. Anyway, like usual, I hope you enjoy.


End file.
